Foundry stopper having parallelogram rigging

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a guide mechanism for a stopper in a casting stopper container which allows axial alignment of the stopper with respect to the nozzle in any direction. The guiding member is in the form of a parallelogram the vertical swivel column of which is pivotally supported on flexible strips. The stopper is suspended on a flexible rod arranged in spherical bearings to allow a fine axial adjustment of the stopper.

United States Patent Seaton [4 1 Nov. 21, 1972 [541 FOUNDRY STOPPER HAVING PARALLELOGRAM RIGGING' [72] Inventor: William W. Seaton, Dexter, Mich.

[73] Assignee: Patusa Aktiengesellschaft, Zug, Switzerland 22 Filed: April21, 1971 21 Appl.No.: 136,115

[] Foreign Application Priority Data [58] Field of Search....222/559, 504, DIG. 5, DIG. 3, 222/DIG. 15; 251/144, 232, 234, 285; 74/l 10, 99, 96, 469

Switzerland ..6248/70 2/1954 Hansen ..222/DlG.5 11/1923 Laird ..2s1/234x Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerDavid A. Scherbel Attorney-Ernest F. Marmorek [5 7] ABSTRACT Disclosed is a guide mechanism for a stopper in a casting stopper container which allows axial alignment of the stopper with respect to the nozzle in any direction. The guiding member is in the form of a parallelogram the vertical swivel column of which is pivotally supported on flexible strips. The stopper is suspended on a flexible rod arranged in spherical bearings to allow a fine axial adjustment of the stopper.

[56] References Cited 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 122,583 l/1872 Dorst ..25l/232 I as f \I 031 3 1 3 1 I I I I I, O

,7, I 75 29 l 34 E A I l/ I! I PATENTED W21 m2 SHEET 2 BF 3 INVE NTOR WIL 1. mnHSEn r 04) LZM/Y fl/s ArraAA/Ey.

FOUNDRY STOPPER HAVING PARALLELOGRAM RIGGING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to stopper containers for casting devices. More particularly, this invention relates to guiding means for a stopper that is lifted or lowered by a stopper actuating device to open or to close a discharge nozzle at the bottom of a stopper container. The stopper actuating device is carried on a support member mounted on a side wall of the stopper container.

In the stopper guides for the stopper containers of this kind it is desirable that the stopper be kept in axial alignment with the discharging nozzle.

To meet this requirement, guides for stoppers have been devised which guide a stopper rod in two sleeves fixedly mounted in alignment with the nozzle opening, or guide the stopper rod by a guiding member connected to the stopper and laterally affixed to the stopper container. The stopper is raised and lowered for opening and closing a discharging nozzle by means of a hydraulic or pneumatic jack or a similar hoisting device. In another variation, an electro-hydraulic lifting and lowering device or a toggle lever system for the actuation of the stopper is employed.

The prior art arrangements, however, have a disadvantage in that the stopper is guided in rigid supports which cannot insure a reliable seal of the nozzle if the position of the nozzle axis is changed, for example owing to the dilation of material caused by temperature, or due to the abrasion of the sealing surface of the nozzle, or owing to sediments upon the latter.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to remove the aforedescribed disadvantage of prior art stoppers and to provide stopper guide means which enable an alignment of the stopper movement with the nozzle axis so that even at a displacement of the nozzle opening from the stopper axis, the latter can be readjusted for providing a secure seal of the nozzle seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above object is attained, in accordance with this invention, by providing a fixed supporting member at a side wall of the container, a swivel column arranged on the supporting member for swivelling in any direction, an upper arm and a lower lever-arm jointed to the upper part of the swivel column, a vertical support plate jointed to the free ends of the upper and lower arms to form a parallelogram guide, a lifting device coupled to the opposite end of the lever arm, a slidable clamping member disposed on the support plate and carrying an upper spherical bearing, a flexible stopper suspension rod connected at one end to the upper spherical bearing and, at the other end to the top of the stopper, a lower spherical bearing for supporting the top of the stopper, the flexible suspension rod and the swivel column permitting an alignment of the stopper axis with that of the nozzle opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Reference is now made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a stopper container with guide means according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a swivel column in the guide means of FIG. 1, with indicated axes of rotation; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line I-1 in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the adjustable support as shown in FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The casting device as shown in FIG. 1 is set up of a stopper container 42 having fixed in its bottom a nozzle body 18 with a nozzle 21. The sealing surface 17 of the nozzle body 18 is matched to the rounded surface of a stopper cap 14 to provide a reliable seal at the closed position of a stopper 47. At an outer side of the container 42, a support member 43 is fixedly mounted for supporting a swivel column 62 which is arranged for being swivelled around three axes and thus angularly adjusted in any spatial direction, as it will be explained later. The upper portion of the swivel column 62 pivotally supports an end of an upper swivel arm 60 and the center of a lower lever arm 61. The opposed free ends of the upper arm 60 and of the lower lever arm 61 are linked by a support plate 58 to form a parallelogram guide for the stopper 47. The other end of the lever arm 61 is linked to a piston of a lifting device 29. The lifting device 29 is hinged to the support member 43 for controlling the vertical movement of the support plate 58.

The ends of the support plate 58 are provided with brackets 53 and 46, respectively. The lower bracket 53 serves for carrying a bearing box for a spherical bearing 48 in which the upper end portion of the stopper 47 is suspended. The upper bracket 46 supports a horizontally adjustable slide plate 56 carrying a second spherical bearing 55. The spherical bearing 55 holds the'top end of a flexible bar 54 whereas the bottom end of the latter is connected by means of a screw coupling 51 to the upper end portion of the stopper 17. The slide plate 56 is provided with an oblong hole and connected to the upper bracket 46 by a thumb bolt 57 passing therethrough and by a nut 64.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 to 4, the axle 38 of the swivel column 62 is supported at the ends thereof in spherical bearings 39 and 40 disposed in bearing boxes 41'. The bearing boxes 41' are situated in holes provided in opposite wall portions of the support member 43. The holes 75 have greater diameter than that of the bearing boxes 41' to allow a position adjustment of the latter. Similarly, holes 72 in flanges 41 of the bearing boxes 41' have also a greater clearance than is the diameter of the attachment bolts 73; the attachment bolts 73 engage with the walls of the support member 43 and their heads rest on grommets 74, bridging the holes 72.

In this manner, it is possible, in cooperation with spherical bearings 39,40, to adjust the position of the swivel column 62 in any spatial direction.

By means of setting screws 32, 34 and 35, the set position of the swivel column 62 and thereby the alignment of the stopper 47 with the nozzle outlet 21 can be preset. The flexible rod 51 in connection with the clamping slide plates 56 and bolt 57 serves for a fine final adjustment of the axial alignment of the stopper 47. A bracket 70 on the upper part of the swivel column 62 supports a stop screw 69 which limits the movement of the lever arm 6L The faultless seal of the nozzle is attained particularly by the possibility to align the stopper with respect to the nozzle in any direction, and further by the fact that the position variations can be finely readjusted by the flexible bar 54 on the top of the stopper 47.

While the above description has disclosed a particular embodiment of the invention, it is understood that many changes in these embodiments may be made within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a casting device having a stopper container with guide means for vertical movement of a stopper against a nozzle in the bottom of said stopper container, said stopper guide means comprising a supporting member, a swivel column arranged on the supporting member for swivelling in any direction, an upper arm and a lower lever arm joined to the swivel column, a vertical support plate joined to the free ends of the upper and lower arms to form a parallelogram guide therewith, a lifting device coupled to said parallelogram guide, a clamping slide member disposed on a stop portion of said support plate and carrying first spherical bearing means, a second spherical bearing means attached to a bottom portion of said support plate for supporting the top of said stopper, a flexible rod disposed between'said first spherical bearing and said top of said stopper, and setting means for adjusting the position of said swivel column to align the axes of said stopper with said nozale.

2. In a casting device according to claim 1, said stopper guide means comprising an axle supported in spherical bearing means for carrying said swivel column, said spherical bearing means having bearing boxes with flanges attached to opposite wall portions of said supporting member in such a manner as to allow their adjustment in any planar direction.

3. in a casting device according to claim 2, said opposite wall portions having holes for receiving said bearing boxes, said holes being larger that the outside diameters of said bearing boxes, said flanges having holes for receiving fastening bolts engaging with said wall portions, and said holes in said flanges having larger diameter than said fastening bolts to allow, in cooperation with said spherical bearings, the position adjustment of said swivel column in any spatial direction.

4. In a casting device according to claim 1, said stopper guide means comprising an upper bracket and a lower bracket affixed to the ends of said vertical support plate, said upper bracket carrying said clamping slide member, and fixing screw means for arresting the position of said clamping slide member with respect to said upper bracket, thus serving together with said spherical bearings and said flexible rod for a fine adjustment of the axial position of said stopper.

5. [n a casting device according to claim 1, wherein said lifting device is a hydraulic jack hinged between the other end of said lower lever and said supporting member. 

1. In a casting dEvice having a stopper container with guide means for vertical movement of a stopper against a nozzle in the bottom of said stopper container, said stopper guide means comprising a supporting member, a swivel column arranged on the supporting member for swivelling in any direction, an upper arm and a lower lever arm joined to the swivel column, a vertical support plate joined to the free ends of the upper and lower arms to form a parallelogram guide therewith, a lifting device coupled to said parallelogram guide, a clamping slide member disposed on a stop portion of said support plate and carrying first spherical bearing means, a second spherical bearing means attached to a bottom portion of said support plate for supporting the top of said stopper, a flexible rod disposed between said first spherical bearing and said top of said stopper, and setting means for adjusting the position of said swivel column to align the axes of said stopper with said nozzle.
 1. In a casting dEvice having a stopper container with guide means for vertical movement of a stopper against a nozzle in the bottom of said stopper container, said stopper guide means comprising a supporting member, a swivel column arranged on the supporting member for swivelling in any direction, an upper arm and a lower lever arm joined to the swivel column, a vertical support plate joined to the free ends of the upper and lower arms to form a parallelogram guide therewith, a lifting device coupled to said parallelogram guide, a clamping slide member disposed on a stop portion of said support plate and carrying first spherical bearing means, a second spherical bearing means attached to a bottom portion of said support plate for supporting the top of said stopper, a flexible rod disposed between said first spherical bearing and said top of said stopper, and setting means for adjusting the position of said swivel column to align the axes of said stopper with said nozzle.
 2. In a casting device according to claim 1, said stopper guide means comprising an axle supported in spherical bearing means for carrying said swivel column, said spherical bearing means having bearing boxes with flanges attached to opposite wall portions of said supporting member in such a manner as to allow their adjustment in any planar direction.
 3. In a casting device according to claim 2, said opposite wall portions having holes for receiving said bearing boxes, said holes being larger that the outside diameters of said bearing boxes, said flanges having holes for receiving fastening bolts engaging with said wall portions, and said holes in said flanges having larger diameter than said fastening bolts to allow, in cooperation with said spherical bearings, the position adjustment of said swivel column in any spatial direction.
 4. In a casting device according to claim 1, said stopper guide means comprising an upper bracket and a lower bracket affixed to the ends of said vertical support plate, said upper bracket carrying said clamping slide member, and fixing screw means for arresting the position of said clamping slide member with respect to said upper bracket, thus serving together with said spherical bearings and said flexible rod for a fine adjustment of the axial position of said stopper. 